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About the Author

Lori Palatnik is a writer and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio. She is the Founding Director of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, an international initiative that brings thousands of women to Israel each year from 18 different countries on highly subsidized programs to inspire them with the beauty and wisdom of their heritage (www.jwrp.org). She is a much sought-after international speaker, having lectured in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Central America, South America, South Africa and Israel, including featured talks at Yale, Brown and Penn. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Palatnik, and is the busy mother of five children, ages 25 to 15.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 23

(19)
craig,
January 29, 2014 10:21 AM

taxi drivers are nice???

ive been in plenty a taxi where they all nice and friendly because they know youre a chutznik and love extra cash...dont be fooled lori....many israelis are arrogant and its all part of the zionistic culture which has become a religion....the greatest gedoilim wanted to come to israel for its kedusha and torah.....NOT uris pizza,cafe rimon,tveria or taxi drivers!!!proof is most of these drivers are not even religeous...eating treifos and hate kollel guys(not all...i admit)....but remember aliya is only an option to be "going up",,,,there are many frum yetzer horas in israel...so please dont be fooled or fool other niave baalei tshuva....thank you for a great site aish and lori!!!

(18)
Avi,
June 20, 2013 11:23 PM

Not a word about the value of living in Israel

Thank you for the beautiful story and message. It is inspiring.

But not a single word about the spiritual value of living in Israel? The title is "Aliyah: It's never too late" and there is nothing about the mitzvah of yishuv ha'aretz - settling the land, connecting with Am Yisrael, living in the land of our biblical Avot and Imahot, etc...? If their grandkids all lived in South America and they moved there to be with family, would the message of this story be exactly the same?!

There's an opportunity for inspiring people about Eretz Yisrael - our Holy Land - that is being sorely, sorely missed here...

onegr8singer,
June 21, 2013 8:03 PM

WOW..........

With all due respect, I cannot understand why you would feel it was important to "make Lori wrong"......Her message was wonderful and effective and inspiring------everyone realizes that Israel is great---the point was about continuing to GROW----because in this life, "You're either RIPE ROTTEN, or GREEN GROWING"....The wonderful couple who moved were the former-----can you say the same? with such criticism I am wondering ......THANKS LORI dear.......and may I add well wishes to the "kids who moved to Israel!!!

(17)
Mary,
June 20, 2013 10:43 PM

Courage for change

I admire the courage and committment it took for them to change their lives entirely. Family is the most important thing; time spent with children and grandchildren is time invested in the future.

(16)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2013 8:40 PM

You've got it all wrong

Based on your premise of going on Aliya to be with children etc, a person with no close relatives in Israel has no reason to go on Aliya. That is patently incorrect. A Jew should go on Aliya because Israel is the land where it is a mitzva for a Jew to live. That can't be said about anywhere else in the world. Just by walking in the streets and breathing the air here you are fulfilling the mitzva of living in Israel. There are so many other acts that we can do in Israel that are mitzvot---only in Israel. If a person goes on Aliya with that in mind, the whole process becomes simpler and more likely to succeed.My wife and I came on Aliya as a young couple and lived through many difficult experiences here, but knowing that we were living a mitzva 24/7 kept us from ever thinking of leaving. It simply wasn't an optionl A jew who keeps kosher doesn't even think about eating non-kosher food, no matter how much easier it may be to buy or how much cheaper it may be. It's simply not an option. So too, living in israel as opposed to chutza la'aretz. We certainly have the right to enjoy the company of children and family here, but just for arguments sake, lets say the children ignore you, or you have other children who live elsewhere----living in iIsrael is paramount to it all. When we realize how fortunate we are to live today, at a time in history when there is an option to live in Israel, something only dreamed about for centuries, just like running to the store to buy kosher meat, we should be running to Israel to live our Jewish lives.

(15)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2013 4:18 PM

For all the right reasons

Your story is engaging; your point made. But you give the impression that this is a good thing to consider for anyone. Your family friends had every reason to make aliyah. I thought I did 20 years ago at the age of 43. No family, no spouse, no friends, no idea of how difficult it was going to be. Like most life changes I've made, we can't evaluate them until we've already taken the risk. I don't have regrets for any of the these decisions and wouldn't trade the experiences for anything. Having visited Israel wasn't enough to have a clue to what living there would be like there. I have dear friends there and memories and experiences to last a lifetime. But it didn't work. No family, no spouse, and no way for a single woman with no children to build a life in a rural area. Aliyah is not for everyone. It took me 17 years – probably 10 of them in denial that it wasn't working for me – to leave and pursue the dream of my life. I live in a remote rural area, now. It wasn't an easy decision to return. I love Israel and will spend at least a month there every year. Lori, please be clear that these people you know had a single and focused reason to make Aliyah – family. The "mature adult" factor has only a minor role in this decision – family. Two optimum ages to make aliyah is from 18 to late 20's when family and lifestyles are built there before the ones we grew up with where we came from are abandoned; and when we realize that Israel is where our family is. Also be clear that, in the later years, as with the Spiro family, money is a factor. There are no boxes for the grandchildren to unpack if shipping and renting or buying a home are unaffordable. Life there as would be comfortable for westerners, is expensive there. Many of our "mature adults" have limited resources. You have visited Israel many times, I know. How long have you lived there with the prospect of it being permanent?

(14)
ann,
June 20, 2013 4:09 PM

alya at 85

my husband's grand mother also made her alya at 85, a widow, and she's been living in jerusalem next to her grandchildren!like you said she left her whole life, and she started again!may G od bless her with a long life and all the "senior" olim!!As there is a place for every jew in eretz israel there is of course a place for every elderly jew!!!!

(13)
RIFKA MIZRAHI,
June 20, 2013 3:27 PM

BARUCH HA SHEM

I TOO LOOK TO MAKING ALIYAH AS A SENIOR.MYMARRIED DAUGHTER, CHAVA, LIVES IN JERUSALEM

(12)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2013 3:07 PM

Is Aliyah only for family?

I came to live here about 25 years ago, when I married an Israeli lady. She wanted to live here, as her children and grandchildren lived here. But my children and grandchildrfen are dispersed in New York, Calfornia, Montreal and London, whilst only two live here, and at some distance so that I don't see them often. If family is the main reaqson, perhaps we should emigrate, so that I can see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren more often?

(11)
anon,
June 20, 2013 2:55 PM

I'm not saying it's easy to make aliya, but it is definitely easier than it's ever been, and not as hard as people make out, and certainly doable. Regarding children, you can totally make aliya with school age children. You have to prepare them first before they come, especially with Hebrew language training, to ease their integration.

Regarding work, for people who will have trouble finding work, have you ever thought about being an online English tutor. Millions of people around the world are looking for English teachers.

(10)
Reva Van Leeuwen,
June 20, 2013 2:44 PM

Never too late, but don't wait!

To Lori and all of our Jewish sisters and brothers,Don't wait to come to live in Israel until you are grandparents or great-grandparents. Bring the pleasure of living in our Jewish homeland, of being the majority not a minority elsewhere, into your lives now! We need you all here in Israel to help strengthen the Jewish nation in the Jewish homeland. Love to you all!

(9)
alan ziegler, Jerusalem,
June 19, 2013 4:07 PM

Great that you were so excited...thought you might stay and be an inspiration to others...after all your message infers that only for family is Israel relevant, otherwise the "five towns" is the better choice.

(8)
Aharon,
June 17, 2013 12:26 PM

well said

Not only does one need to be open to make changes to pack up and come here, one needs the openness in order to have a successful aliyah. All olim will agree there are certain adjustments one must make, but those adjustments by and large are for the better. IY"H the Palatniks will be here soon, and perhaps this will encourage those in your community to follow suit.

(7)
Carol,
June 16, 2013 7:32 PM

making aliya not for family

Kol HaKavod to the Spiros whose children, etc. have lived here for decades. It is a wonderful thing to be near your grandchildren and great grandchildren. It helps that they are well to do and coming to a full family life here. May they live long, healthy lives here.

I think more credit should be given to those of us who came with no family and no resources and have made life here. That is truly praiseworthy. We came to serve HaShem and pray that we will create generations of Jews who appreciate the pleasure of living here.

Judy Schechter,
June 17, 2013 6:39 PM

My question exactly

How does one do it with no resources? We do have lots of family, or my husband does, but we have no financial resources accept our U.S. Social Security. So how do we make it? Please give my e-mail to the person who made the comment about coming with no resources, so they may get in touch with me. I would love to ask them questions, please, please, please.

Anonymous,
June 18, 2013 5:30 AM

Nefesh b'Nefesh

You can also contact Nefesh b'Nefesh. I am sure they could help you. Their website: nbn.org.il.

(6)
scott,
June 16, 2013 3:36 PM

Masel Tov and welcome

Every Jew that makes Aliyah is a miracle. However, why did these people wait for children and grandchildren to be in Israel to come? We need doctors. We needed them twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years ago.

Did these people make aliyah to live as Jews in Israel...or did they finish their productive life and move to Israel to live as grandparents?

Either way..masel tov and welcome.

But I'd focus on the stories of their children who apparently came earlier and did the truly brave thing...make a life and family here instead of coming to visit in their later years.

(5)
Jessica,
June 16, 2013 1:36 PM

She gave Israel her son!

In the bio it says her son just finished IDF service -- that to me shows an even greater commitment to Israel than Lori making aliya herself. She gave her son to defend the Jewish state, not just for his regular service but for miluim (reserve duty) as well. Kol ha-kavod to Zev and especially to Lori. Signed, a proud mother of son now serving in tank division.

(4)
Anonymous,
June 16, 2013 1:30 PM

Mazel Tov to Dr. & Mrs. Spiro! :-) I've never even BEEN to Israel! Your family must be delighted to have you with them. Re: Making changes. I agree 100% that we can become too complacent. A few years ago I attempted to make a career change. Alas, this change did not work as I had hoped. However, I'm glad I gave it my all. IMO fear is the biggest obstacle to making positive changes in our lives. Eleanor Roosevelt once said you must do the thing you think you cannot do. I'm sure Dr. & Mrs. Spiro both experienced some fear when they decided to make aliyah, but they pushed through the fear and did it anyway. A big Yasher Koach to them!! :-) :-) Thank you both for influencing me to make changes in my life. Also, to Lori Palatnik I thank you once again for providing close captioning in your videos.

(3)
Anonymous,
June 16, 2013 12:14 PM

Why wait?

I made aliyah when I was 27 years old and still unmarried. It was the smartest thing I ever did! Baruch Hashem all of my children and grandchildren live in Israel. I am very happy for Dr. and Mrs. Spiro. They should have a Yishuv Tov and many more happy and healthy years in Eretz Yisroel.But what about all you young listeners in your 20's? Why wait until you are 80? If you come when you are young, you won't have to go through "decades of marriage" and decide what to take with you, it will be right there.So, come now, don't wait until you are a great-grandparent. It comes sooner than you think!

(2)
Elcya Weiss,
June 16, 2013 9:24 AM

Lori -- Come and be our neighbor!

So.....when are you and your family coming? We've recently returned to Israel, after 10 years of wandering the world, and we're thrilled to be living near our grandchildren. If you're worried about "missing" your community members......see how many of them you can get to come with you!

(1)
Anonymous,
June 16, 2013 9:21 AM

Wondering why you, Lori aren't living in Israel

Hi Lori,I love your video blogs and I can tell that you have a deep love for Israel, however, I have never heard you speak about why YOU do not make aliyah. As someone who made aliyah from an English speaking country, your presence and programming in Israel could do wonders for us Anglos who may have a harder times finding those inspiring shiurim, etc. And - you could still continue spreading your light online.

Lori Palatnik,
June 16, 2013 5:25 PM

Aliyah

My husband and I met in Israel and we planned to live there forever. "Forever" turned out to be four months, then Aish Toronto came calling and said they needed us. We made a three year commitment, but then we started The Village Shul and 13 years later we were still there.
The rabbis who guide us tell us that you can move to Israel when your kids are small, or when they are grown, but in between it is very, very difficult for them to adjust.
My friend told me, "If you can't be there yet, send them ahead." I took it seriously and encouraged our older children to go. By next Spring, please G-d, we will have three children there. Our youngest is going into 10th grade. You do the math.
I think about making aliyah every day of my life, and trust me, I am doing everything I can to try and get there. But, as they say, "Man plans, G-d laughs."
I cannot complain. The Almighty brings me back several times a year as I lead the JWRP groups of women. And some of them have already made aliyah-- part of the prophecy of "send them ahead...?"